The third one received reproof and loss of his mina. This slave was judged by his own words.

Remember the parable following the parable of the 10 virgins? The master entrusts his possession to his own slaves, giving one 5 talents, another, two, and to another, one – EACH ACCORDING TO HIS OWN ABILITY. (Ah, I capitalized that phrase because it is so comforting to me. I don’t need to plow in someone else’s field or run another’s race – just my own.)

The master returns to settle accounts with them. The first one had a 100% profit from his 5 talents. The second one had a 100% profit, also. The third one is lazy and wicked as the Master’s slave because he took his one talent and hid it in the ground. A 100% profit for him would only have been to gain 1 more talent. He has an excuse, too: “and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours.’” I want to use a quote from Oswald Chambers at this point:

“The servant justified himself in everything he did and condemned his lord on every point – ‘Your demand is all out of proportion to what you give. You expect more than you give me power to do. You demand too much from me.’”

That wasn’t true, was it? Verse 15 says, “each one according to his own ability…”

In these two examples, notice that each servant had equal opportunity and equal ability to make a profit. Parables build upon each other and amplify each other. Without a doubt, the 5 foolish virgins had every opportunity and ability to prepare their lamps with an extra vessel of oil for their journey to meet the bridegroom.